Monthly Archives: March 2012

I am proud to share with you that I finished the Los Angeles Marathon, my first, on Sunday, March 18th. The enormity of that fact is made grander by the idea that this statement implies I will be running another marathon at some point in my life, most likely as the last leg of an Ironman distance triathlon. I used to say people who run marathons and compete in long distance triathlons are crazy! So, how did I become one of the crazys?!? I asked myself this question throughout the course of the marathon last Sunday. Here’s the answer that came to me like an epiphany while passing mile marker 21.

Three and a half years ago I completed my first triathlon. It was a sprint distance event. After knee surgery in December 2008, I worked my way back to an Olympic distance triathlon competition in September 2009. I placed near last or last in my age group at every event, but I caught the triathlon bug and wanted to do better!

I changed my diet. I changed my workouts. I gathered people in my corner– nutritionist, trainer, supportive spouse, and inspirational friends. My body composition changed dramatically as I became focused on my health and fitness. Then I realized that, as a physical therapist, I had been a poor role model for my clients. I pushed others to push themselves but never really pushed my own limits. In 2010, now 40 pounds lighter, I had podium finishes in both my Olympic distance triathlons and completed my first 1/2 Ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run). Not only did I survive, I was thriving!

Summer, 2011 I signed up for my first marathon, began considering a full Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run), and decided to start a new business adventure. Now I understand that pushing the limits of possibility is an incredibly invigorating place from which to experience life! I push myself, I push my clients, and they push me. Together we push the boundaries of possibilities.

I have made movement my medicine and I’m all the better for it. I encourage everyone to push their perceived limits in whatever way they see fit! I support and salute you! We can do anything we set our minds to do… change diets, open businesses, run marathons, and complete Ironmans!

Get out there and transform yourselves!! Make me proud… but more importantly, make you proud!

Here’s a recipe for my favorite new treat (my old favorite was a dark chocolate bar, brie cheese, and a glass of red wine!)

Where you think you are and where you actually are can be quite different from where you really need to be for optimal health. This holds true for many aspects of our physical, mental, and emotional well-being and how we hold ourselves affects all three areas. Your posture, or how you occupy and move through space, directly affects your ability to function throughout your day. In fact, many repetitive injuries have postural imbalances at their core. Improper posture can contribute to imbalances, pain, injury, and even poor self-esteem and depression.

Posture is dynamic and changes with any given activity and as we change our relationship to gravity (supine, sitting, standing, walking, pushing/pulling/bending/twisting, vacuuming, participating in a sport/fitness activity, etc). Often times, our environment in which we practice a particular posture also needs adjusting. An ergonomic assessment of a work station, a functional bike fit, car seat and mirror repositioning, etc. can definitely assist with maintaining good posture.

There is more to correcting your posture than pulling your shoulders back! If you want to get an idea of your static posture, how you occupy space in a given position, stand with your back against a wall. Do not try to change/correct your stance, just stand in your usual comfortable position. Take note of how your body makes contact with the wall. Use a mirror for visual feedback if you have trouble sensing your body position. Are your butt cheekstouching equally? Do your shoulders touch and if so, do they feel even? Does the back of your head touch the wall without tipping your neck back? If you try to get your shoulders to touch does your rib cage pop out in front? So many things to consider! And this is just standing still. Now imagine stepping away from the wall and engaging in an activity all the while being mindful and aware of how you occupy and move through space during that activity. It is difficult to do without guidance and feedback.

Physical therapists are experts in movement, function, and health. They demonstrate and instruct proper dynamic posture and devise individualized exercise programs for improving strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, and neuromusculoskeletal imbalances to address postural malalignments. Physical therapists assess home, work, and fitness environments to determine their contributions to posture. They develop personal fitness and wellness programs and reduce risk of conditions that are associated with loss of mobility and function.

By directly accessing a physical therapist for wellness and preventative health issues such as postural awareness and imbalances as well as assessing environmental factors, individuals increase their responsibility for their overall health and well-being.

Kinesis is built around the belief that attention to body, mind and spirit are essential for living your best life! At Kinesis we offer something for each client’s physical, mental and spiritual needs. The ideas and principals of Kinesis are built around integrated living being essential for optimal health and well-being. Affordability and accessibility to all are the foundations upon which Kinesis is built with a vision to create a platform that makes the cost of well-being accessible to more than the 1%. As well as offering an Integrated approach to well-being, Kinesis offers tools of empowerment to each of ours clients. These tools invite each of us to continue to become body aware and informed for the integration of self-care into our lives.